The present disclosure relates to actuating items using an end effector, and more specifically, to implementations of a suction-based end effector having a pliable bladder with adjustable rigidity.
In warehouse operations and other industrial automation settings, end effectors may be configured to perform the picking and handling of items. For example, end effectors such as suction cups or vacuum cups may be used to suction items as they are being actuated between locations in a warehouse. The performance of suction-based end effectors is largely dependent on the quality of the seal formed with the suctioned item. More specifically, a suctioned item may be dropped by the end effector and/or damaged when inertial forces caused by moving the item overcome the suction force. This result is more likely for heavier items, as well as for complex-shaped items for which forming a higher-quality seal may be difficult.
Further, the design of an end effector may be optimized for picking and handling a particular type of item, or for items with one or more characteristics such as dimensions or weights. Thus, performance can be affected when the end effector is required to handle various types of items.